Judith Anugom

Hi, I'm Judith, welcome! I'm so glad you're here. As a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and six years of experience, I've had the privilege of walking alongside people through some of life's hardest chapters, from depression and anxiety to bipolar disorder, psychosis, ADHD, PTSD, and so much in between.

I know reaching out for mental health care can feel like a big step, and I want you to know this is a safe, judgment-free space. My style is warm, collaborative, and down-to-earth. I'll take the time to truly listen, get to know you as a whole person, and work with you to build a treatment plan that actually fits your life, blending thoughtful medication management with practical tools and gentle guidance along the way.

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or simply ready for something to change, you don't have to figure it out alone. I'd be honored to support you on this journey, and I look forward to meeting you.

As a PMHNP, I've found CBT to be one of the most practical and versatile tools in my clinical work. While my visits are primarily focused on medication management, I've learned that pharmacology alone rarely produces lasting change. Patients do best when they understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and have concrete skills to interrupt unhelpful patterns.

I weave CBT principles into nearly every visit, even when time is limited. In a typical 20–30 minute follow-up, I might spend a few minutes identifying a cognitive distortion a patient is struggling with, catastrophizing about a work situation, all-or-nothing thinking after a setback, mind-reading in a relationship, and walk them through a quick reframe. For patients with depression, I often use behavioral activation, helping them schedule small, meaningful activities between visits to break the withdrawal-low mood cycle. For anxiety, I lean on psychoeducation about the fear cycle, paired with gradual exposure planning and grounding techniques.

I find CBT especially useful for:

Depression — pairing SSRIs with behavioral activation and thought records

Generalized and social anxiety — cognitive restructuring and graded exposure

Panic disorder — interoceptive exposure and challenging catastrophic interpretations of bodily sensations

Insomnia — CBT-I principles like stimulus control and sleep restriction

OCD — psychoeducation and ERP referral when intensive work is needed

I'm clear with patients that I'm not their therapist. When deeper or longer-term CBT work is needed, I refer to a CBT-trained therapist and continue the medication side. But teaching patients to recognize their own distortions, assigning small behavioral experiments, and reinforcing skills they're learning in therapy make my visits far more effective than medication alone. Patients leave with something actionable, not just a prescription

First, take a deep breath! You've already done the hardest part by showing up. Our first session together is simply a conversation, and there's no pressure to have everything figured out before you arrive.

We'll spend about 45 to 60 minutes getting to know each other. I'll ask about what brought you in, how you've been feeling lately, and a bit about your story, your background, family history, medical and mental health history, sleep, stressors, and anything else that's been weighing on you. There are no right or wrong answers, and you're always in control of what you share and when.

From there, we'll talk through what I'm noticing, explore possible diagnoses, and discuss treatment options together, whether that includes medication, lifestyle adjustments, therapy referrals, or a combination of approaches. I'll explain everything in plain language, answer any questions you have, and make sure you feel comfortable with the plan before we move forward.